Should government abandon development aid target?

22 October 2012

On Monday 22 October, the House of Lords will debate the Economic Affairs Committee report The Economic Impact and Effectiveness of Development Aid, which called on the Government to abandon plans to legislate to guarantee the UK would commit to spend 0.7% of its Gross National Income on development aid.

The Committee said that to reach the 0.7% aid target, the UK’s aid spend would have to rise by 37% by 2015 at a time when most other government spending was being reduced. They also argued that by focussing on an abstract target, the government would run the risk of losing focus on the effectiveness of aid and its possible corrosive impact on the political systems in recipient countries.

Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market, Chairman of the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, will open the debate and Baroness Northover, Government Spokesperson for International Development, will respond for the Government.